What is this course about?

This is an unconventional course. I take a different approach to teaching writing skills. Sure, you can memorize a bunch of grammar rules and fancy-sounding words; you can read the classic writing style guides. Those are good uses of your time, and obviously you need a decent grasp of grammar. But memorizing rules and words won't make you a better writer.

I've read tons of style books and websites, and took several writing courses in university. And what did I learn? I learned that all good advice on being a better writer is basically the same, except no one says it in a straight forward way. So let me spare you the time and effort: Good writing comes from mindful writing.

What is mindful writing? It's basically taking principles of mindfulness and applying them to writing and editing. I take a psychological and experiential approach to becoming a better writer. I think this is much more fruitful than taking a purely technical/academic approach. That's because I believe that being a good writer comes from having the right mindset. And that mindset is what I focus on in this course.

What will you learn in this course?

You will learn about mindfulness and acceptance and how to apply these to your writing. You will learn different kinds of mind wandering and how the right style of mind wandering can promote creative problem-solving. You will learn how to deal with writer's block. And you will learn concrete tips along with real examples of improving sloppy writing.

Why is the instructor qualified to teach this?

I've published four books (and am working on two more right now!) and over 100 research articles. I've received praise for my clear and easy writing style for decades. And several of my teachers when I was a kid told me I should be a writer when I grow up ;)